PROMPT GUIDE
Prompt checklist (before writing, before generating, after generating)
When the image is not what you wanted, the cause is usually something missing or something conflicting. This guide turns the checks you should make before writing, before generating and after generating into a checklist. It covers the image-making stage, not the checks before posting on social media.
Last updated: approx. 3 min read
The short answer
Check the prompt for gaps in the order subject (number and look), outfit, pose and expression, framing, place and light, then look for conflicting tags before generating. After generating, write down the prompt and settings that worked so you can reproduce the image next time.
What should you check in a prompt?
Check four things: missing items, conflicts, order and settings. That prevents most failures.
When the image is off, it is tempting to add more words, but finding what is missing and what is clashing fixes it faster than adding. Go through the checklist below from the top and fix only the items that do not pass.
Checklist before writing (avoid missing items)
Make sure the subject, outfit, pose, framing, place and light are all there.
Checklist before generating (conflicts and order)
Check for tags that cannot both be true, and make sure the important words come first.
Rinka's tips
- Conflicts are hard to spot yourself; a tool that finds duplicates and clashes when you paste a prompt is faster
- Delete words you are unsure about; removing gets you closer to the image more often than adding
- Write the most important items first; words near the end tend to have a weaker effect
How do you use the checklist?
Repeat this cycle: write, check against the tables, test a few images, then fix one thing at a time.
Steps to fix a prompt with the checklist
- Describe the image you want in one sentence, then turn it into English tags
- Fill the gaps with the before-writing checklist
- Fix conflicts and order with the before-generating checklist
- Make only two to four images first and see how far they are from what you wanted
- Fix just one word related to the difference and generate again
- When it works, record the prompt, negative prompt, seed and size
1girl, solo, long hair, blue eyes, school uniform, sitting, smile, upper body, classroom, sunlight, anime coloring, masterpiece, best quality[Check] people / appearance / outfit / pose and expression / framing / place / light / art style - is everything there?What should you check after generating?
Look at the hands, eyes and any text, which break easily, then always save the settings you used.
How to fix broken hands and fingers: How to Fix Bad Hands in AI Art: The Complete Guide →
When the eyes are uneven or distorted: Why AI art eyes break and how to fix them (uneven, distorted, too much white) →
What if the image is still wrong after checking?
Separate two cases: the word is not working at all, or it is being overpowered by another word.
To dig into why tags are not taking effect: Why your prompt is not working (tags ignored) and how to fix it →
Checks to make before posting on social media: The Complete Pre-Posting Checklist for AI Art →
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the minimum a prompt should include?
The number of people, appearance, outfit and framing. Without these the image tends to change every time, so write these four first.
What happens if tags conflict?
One of them may be ignored, or both may mix into an unnatural image. Keep only one of words that cannot both be true, such as standing and sitting.
Is a longer prompt better?
If it is too long, important words lose their effect. Write what you need briefly and merge words with similar meanings into one.
How should I keep the settings of an image I made?
Many generators store generation info inside the image. Check it with a tool that reads generation info from images and save it as text to be safe.
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